Austin Gets International Biking Event

With its ties to Lance Armstrong and its rolling terrain, it’s not surprising that Austin is a favorite with cyclists. Next summer, look for the capital city to draw not just Texas but international attention on the biking circuit.

The Austin International, scheduled for June 17, is an event that will draw some 400 cyclists for both the pro men’s and women’s races and attract as many as 100,000 cycling fans to Austin to watch some of world’s top competitors.

g4 Productions, LLC, organizers of the Austin International, 2007, announced that the inaugural event will be included in USA Cycling’s new Professional Tour and has received a 1.1 license from the International Cycling Union (UCI). The exact courses for the races are still being planned and should be announced within the next six to eight weeks.

The new USA Cycling Professional Tour recognizes the top international-caliber foreign and domestic UCI professional teams and riders over the course of the racing season in the United States. The goal of the USA Cycling Professional Tour is to acknowledge international competition in the U.S. and to spotlight events that have made the commitment to host world-class, UCI-sanctioned races that feature UCI-registered professional teams and athletes.

“Austin, Texas is a world-class cycling city, and the announcement of the Austin International race coming to town is solid confirmation of that fact,” said Hill Able, owner, Bicycle Sport Shop in Austin. “Austinites are some of the healthiest, most active people in the world, and riding bicycles is a core part of their lifestyles. The race is sure to be a huge success and we look forward to hosting some of the best cyclists in the world next June.”

The 2007 Austin International will feature a pro men’s and women’s race and will be evaluated as a potential Women’s World Cup event for 2008. Austin also hosted the World Professional Mountain Bike Championships in October 2004.

For more information:
• visit www.usacycling.org